Thank you for your reviews, and during this chapter I will show how important Hermione's gift is, you never know, Draco may have been wrong. I'm hoping to pull more of the other characters in with their own views or perspectives on things.
Disclaimer: I don't own J.K. Rowling's wonderful work, but would gladly buy the rights to Hermione and Draco is ever possible.
Chapter 3: The Gift of Ether
"My... My parents... are dead..." Hermione whispered as she dropped to the ground by her parents sides. Her hands reached out touching her father's chest, immediately she could feel everything in him, his injuries, his soul, and his waning life. 'He's not dead...' A link was formed, Draco watched as a gash appeared along her shoulder as she drew in her father's injuries, then he felt through their bond how her soul became burdened. Then another hand placed in her mother's hand and she began drawing out her injuries, healing her body and soul, and tightening her grip to keep her life in her.
Fear hit Draco in the stomach, "Hermione, stop... he's too close to death... You'll kill yourself!" he tried to pull her away but a burst of white light stopped him. He watched in horror as more pain was felt across their bond and then disappeared. Wings, dark feathery wings appeared on her back and Draco's heart was frozen in that moment. His mind reached out to her own, trying to understand what was happening. "Hermione..." Sorrow roughened his voice as he held onto her soul, lest he were to lose it to the void that was the Ether.
000 The Ether 000
Hermione reached out to her father's waning life, suddenly finding herself walking in a foggy field. Her father was walking ahead of her and she began calling to him, "Dad..." her voice echoed even though there were no mountains for it to bounce off of. "Dad... don't go! Come back!" she could feel the tears on her cheeks but didn't wipe them away, she could feel the insatiable pull of the Ether on her, it was calling for her to just rest and relax, that everything would be alright. Something was keeping her immune to its call, her eyes could see the wisps of her father's soul as the Ether pulled him in. Reaching out she grabbed his hand, and he stopped moving forward. "Daddy, come on... we're going back home." Her voice seemed so light and airy as he turned to look at her.
"Mione..." his smile brought more tears to her eyes, his thumb gently swiped them away, "My little girl.. Don't you see dear. I have to be here, I am ready to go on to this plane. You are needed in this life, the Ether is in you, can't you feel it? I never told you, but your mother and I, we couldn't have children. A blessing, what a blessing you were. It seems like an angel stepped down to hand you to us, but I knew... there was something special about our little girl. The Ether, it calls to you like no other, but you are immune to it because you are a part of it. Your Headmaster, Dumbledore, he came and spoke to me before we sent you to Hogwarts. It was then that he explained who our girl really was, not only are you a witch, a beautiful and bright one at that, but your family line has protected the Ether for many generations. You were given to us for protection, now our job is over, you have a new guardian, he might have been questionable at first but I can see no one could be better at it than he. Let me rest, my dear. I love you." Shock was all Hermione could feel as she stared into the void as her father kissed her cheek and disappeared into the fog, she had tried so hard to keep him form the Ether.
A warm hand rested on her shoulder and she found her mother, "Mama, please come with me, I can save you." Her eyes were so golden that the water that gathered there was like honey that dripped down her cheeks.
Confusion marred her mother's face, "'Mione... your father... He said I can't go with him... He said you still need me. 'Mione..." The daughter to her hand and slowly drug her away from the void of fog that her father had disappeared into. "I love you, Hermione."
"It's not yet your time to rest here, Mother." Hermione suddenly felt the Ether in her, she was immune to it, not because she was an immortal but because like her Father had said, she was the Ether. "What harms her, give it to me. This gift is mine, it is of the Ether." she felt the pain rip through her, cheating death was not easy, and one small mistake now would mean losing them both to the Ether. Bright, blinding light burst forth, and she felt the Ether's pull fade away as they escaped its grip.
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Draco watched as her eyes flew open and her wings burst and vanished with the light, and he caught her as she swayed and fell unconscious. Mrs. Granger's eyes fluttered open to view them, and Draco realized the woman was alive. His mate was exhausted, she wasn't sleeping though, they didn't sleep, she was unconscious, a magic induced coma, meaning she needed blood and quickly. Before he could even begin to think of what all he needed to do, Twilight was there with Blaise, the boy was picking up Mrs. Granger and already heading to the hospital wing as Draco saw in Twilight's mind she had already see all this in one of her visions. Standing up to his full height he watched as she unloaded two quarts of animal's blood from a bag she probably obtained in the kitchens. Her vibrant strawberry blonde hair was swept to one shoulder and her jade eyes concentrated as she took the bags of blood and turning to his mate in his arms. A growl escaped his throat as she approached them, and Draco backed away from her.
"Draco..." her accent was very much not British, it had a southern twang of America. "Let me help her..." she slowly approached, his mind just kept telling him hermione was in danger, and he swiped the blood form her hand and punctured it with his own fangs before slowly administering it to her. "Calm down Draco... Hermione needs you thinking straight and logically not acting like some crazed demon." Eyes trailed over to Mr. Granger and she had an recollection of what had happened in the room, Hermione's gift was more serious than she could have guessed. The girl with the haunted moss eyes turned to find Draco finally settling down as halfway through the second bag Hermione's eyes fluttered open, and Twilight saw a flash of dark wings on the girl.
Hermione could still feel the Ether in the air, and looked to see her father's body, the ether swirled around it, she could see it once she began looking for it. "Death..." she breathed as she wrapped her arms around Draco's neck, "Are you so sure about my gift?"
Draco's arms tightened around her, "No, mate, I can't say that I am." All he did know was he would find someone who did and would give them anything to train her in its use. "Twilight, what do you know?" he asked as he let Hermione stand on her own feet, and moved over to Mr. Granger's dead body. The man no longer had evidence of how he died as his mate had erased them from him, but Draco still saw the tell-tale mark of Death Eaters, a Mosmordre was branded on his left hand, he knew the Mosmordre because the Dark Mark scared his back. "Death Eaters..." Disgust was as heavy in his voice as it was in his facial expression, he added another reason to kill Voldemort to his list as he picked up Mr. Granger's lifeless body.
Seating herself next to the Head Girl, Twilight began to divulge all she knew up to this point, "It hit me very early in the morning, the sun hadn't even thought of irising above the distant mountains and forest. I saw the Granger home and Bellatrix and Dolohov along with a few other followers breaking into the home. I had a small recollection that Bellatrix wasn't happy with this new development as she had almost accomplished a mission that would mean this one was unneeded. After breaking into the home the drug the Grangers from their bed and into the living room, where they interrogated them about Hermione and her friends and anything about the Order. The Grangers not knowing what these people were talking about kept asking if their daughter was ok and telling them they knew nothing, each time receiving a curse or injury for their unhelpful answers. Once Dolohov realized they were useless, they tortured them and decided to use them as a sign for their dear daughter, and then brought them here. I'm not sure how they managed to get in, I blacked out for a portion of time." By the time she had related the events without the gory details she could have revealed, Hermione was already crying furious tears, "This is not the time to think of revenge, Hermione."
"How can I not think of avenging my father's death and the near death of my mother? Don't worry, Twi, I won't do anything rash, but you can be assured if I ever cross spells with either Dolohov or Bellatrix on the battlefield they will feel my wrath." The new immortal then asked as her anger receded at Twilight's shocked look, "I'm sorry, Twi, I didn't mean to take things out on you. Can you tell me anything, possibly about my... gift?" she asked sincerely as she once again joined her friend on the soft leather of the couch.
Keeping her eyes on the other girl's wringing hands she shook her head, "No, I may have been born into this life, but my knowledge of gifts is limited. I can tell you though that there is someone who knows about the rarer gifts, our Headmaster, he has thoroughly researched them the past couple of years, and if he can't the Headmaster Guildenstern could help."
"No. My mate will not be talking to that man... Dumbledore will do." Draco was very firm on this decision, his lover would not be an experiment for Rosencrantz Academy. He may not have been a vampire a year but there were things that a dark wizard vampire heard that most elders didn't even hear. "What should I do with the body?" A wince as he looked into sad gold eyes, he probably should become more tactful, then again that was a waste of time since he was not a Slytherin but their Prince, bluntness came with the title.
A cough from the door alerted them to another presence, "Mr. Filch will deal with the body, Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore then turned to Hermione with something akin to regret in his eyes, "I should have told you before what could happen once you and Draco mated. I wasn't completely sure if this would show itself as your gift, but I guess we have the answer with the knowledge of your mother's state in the Hospital wing. Your true parents, were Luca and Orabella Merricini. Every bit of the wealthy, socialite pureblood family. They held a secret though, they are descendants of the Ether. Long ago when magic was first pulled from the Ether, the void produced a being, this being bearing black feathery wings was the guardian of the Ether. Now the only way to get into the Ether is through death since that guardian upon his death sealed it from this world. This guardian was called Merricini, his first name was never known, but was the original Paternal Ancestor of the Merricini family, the Family Standard bears these dark wings, and all will be guardians of the Ether, it never fades in strength in the family line. Though most say that only when in the Ether do they bear their ancestor's wings, not only do they protect it, but they control the Ether. You Hermione are of the Ether, you are now the only Guardian, the last Guardian died last year, he was your brother Niko, your family followed a prophecy to protect you. Our Sybil Trelawney revealed to your mother that you would be needed in the fight to kill Voldemort, and that the boy-who-lived would need just as much as the child of your mother's best friend Narcissa." Dumbledore watched as Draco whirled around at the mention of his mother's name, and watched Hermione's face seem more ashen than it should be even for a vampire.
"My mother?" Draco's anguish at the mention of his mother shown in his cloudy grey eyes.
Hermione stood to wrap comforting arms about his waist, "I can help you, my child, but you must understand, there is always prices for dealing in the Ether, every time you venture into the void you risk just your life just much as the one you are bringing or trying to save. Understand that it not a gift that can be ignored, but you will be so much more vulnerable around strong emotions and death, a battlefield will be a hard place for you to be. You are a crucial piece in this war, the Ether is a strong bargaining chip, control of magic beyond any you can imagine, control of life and death. I was informed by Snape, that Voldemort has set his mind on finding you since his discovery of the Merricini, exclusively after Niko killed himself to escape him."
Running a hand over her hair, learning a whole family you never got a chance to know was dead froze her heart in sorrow. "Is it possible, that I could venture into the Ether to talk to any of the Merricini, if we are the Ether then it certainly makes us quite immune to it?"
Dumbledore got a bit of his twinkle back at her ever-inquisitive nature, nothing would change the Hermione he knew, "My dear I wish I could say that is true, but it may have that pull on you like it does those not of the Ether, but it means in death you become part of the Ether once again. You are my dear are so very much special now, you have directly thwarted the Ether, as an immortal it is rare that you will become part of it once again, so perhaps one of your ancestors might have become an immortal as well." The thought had just occurred to him, and it seemed that they had never looked into it like that, it was something good to look into.
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Laughing and roughhousing was common practice in Gryffindor Tower, Harry and Ron felt at home within its walls, but neither found love within its walls. A Raven claw had caught Harry's eye, Luna Lovegood, and no one could be better for the other, Harry was sweet enough to try to understand her constant ramblings and she was his comfort in his times of grief and guilt. Ron, on the other hand, was a complete shock to the whole school, even some of the alumni that knew this couple were still questioning it, it seems Ron and Hermione had traded each other for their own Slytherin, not even Draco and Hermione was so outlandish as Ron and Pansy. "Ronald, I do not see how you can stand to be in such a rambunctious common room." the dark haired girl whined as she trudged up to him, avoiding contact with the younger years with practical jokes waiting on the tips of their fingers.
Harry gave the red-head a pitying look as he scooped up the blonde sitting on the couch next to Ginny, "If it isn't a warblefoo on the tip of your nose Harry, have you been around Draco, I noticed earlier this week some have taken up residence in his school bag." Harry just smiled at his girlfriend's nonsense, it was endearing to him. A small kiss to her cheek as he excused them form Ginny just as Dean descended the stairs from the boys' dormitories. "It seems you have plans for today as well, see you later Gin." Harry called as he walked back over to Ron who was reasoning with Pansy over her term of endearment for him, respectably she called him Ginger, and he didn't mind except her friends had begun to call him that as well and he had only given Pansy permission to do so, not the whole of Slytherin house.
"Now Pan, don't you see, it's gonna turn into Ginge, Gingie, and even GIGI!!" he cried, his face that ever-present red tinge when he was seriously upset over something, "I let you all me that only since I know you mean it in the best way, even if it's a girly name... but I refuse to allow it to be turned and twisted into some teasing barb from some snake that slithers by." he told her, and Pansy huffed, it seems one thing the two did have in common was a stubborn streak longer than one of Hermione's Transfigurations essays.
Neither of the boys had been happy when Draco had appeared at Number 12 Grimmauld Place's doorstep that summer between Hermione and Snape. It was some reluctance they allowed them to set him up in Hermione's bedroom. Snape had quickly explained along with Hermione and Dumbledore, the sequence of events that had resulted in his arrival to the Order, and how he agreed to join them as a vampire for their cause and then how Hermione was involved in all of this, being Draco's mate. That had sent both boys for a loop and it had taken about two hours to stop all their spontaneous outbursts. Draco had growled anytime either stepped within two feet of Hermione with any type of slight aggravation or frustration in their thoughts. It had taken a few missions together for the three of them to actually get along, and it seemed Moody had taken a liking to the boy and had considered the advantages of a vampire auror. It had worried Hermione to no end every time the three wen off without her, as they were a good team together and were frequently found to be the best choice for missions. Finally the three found they were like brothers and then Blaise joined and joined the brotherhood as well, it was an interesting mix, between insults they were saving each others asses.
"Draco and Hermione have plans for us today, you know how much Hermione loves days like this and they are going on a mission next week and it doesn't have a clear definite ending point." Harry explained to the girls as he and Ron began leading them out of the common room, his mind was on Hermione at the moment, the girl had had that 'I'm up to something' look in her eye before she had headed upstairs as they left and he could only imagine what the two had been up to since they had left. "Please, say we won't walk in on those two fucking like rabbits." he groaned as he looked over at Ron who had the same look of horror on his face at the thought, and it was a good possibility, they had heard all the stories of Hermione trying to rope Malfoy into bedding her lately.
"I can't rightly say we won't, mate." Ron's grim expression spoke volumes and had Luna and Pansy in fits laughing at the boys.
Pansy finally recovered with, "I should hope we do, I've never seen Hermione work harder or longer at any problem... besides we all no it's only a matter of time before she breaks Draco, his saintly control can only last so long... and to think he used to call you Saint Potter." and that sent her into fits once again and Ron had to practically begin carrying her as they got to the staircase to walk down to the third floor where the Head Suite was. Ron and Harry had found nothing she had said funny at all, but Luna seem to find it just as Hysterical as Harry finally scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder the rest of the way.
The halls were full to the brim this year as wizarding families finally saw how Hogwarts seemed to be the safest place for their children than any other. Avoiding the massive class of first years was difficult, they seemed to be traveling in trampling herds. Though it seemed Draco didn't mind striking fear into their young hearts and watching them runaway in tears, the Head Boy very much enjoyed that part of his reputation and now he was an authority figure like the many he had once rebelled against. There was no contradiction like Draco Malfoy, you could never know what to expect from the last remaining Malfoy. The older years had taken to hanging out on the grounds or in places where the younger years had not yet learned of, and Hogsmeade weekends were a blessed sanctuary. Hermione and Draco were gracious enough to allow them to gather in the Head Suite on most occasions as their own haven from the maddening mobs.
Stepping into the room without knocking was quite odd, the door was hardly ever left ajar and it had Harry and Ron on alert until they looked around to find Draco holding Hermione in his arms in an armchair, Dumbledore and Snape on the sofa and Twilight sitting on the rug before the fire. A collective sigh left the boys lungs in relief at finding their friends safe though perhaps a little worse for wear at the moment. "Professor?" Pansy questioned as she stepped forward from her boyfriend's arms, her Head of House gazed at her with nothing less than a sorrowful regret on his face, something unusual from the ever-snide expression he usually bore.
Twilight looked away as the group searched her eyes for answers, "We shall wait for Blaise." Snape had nothing more to say to them at that moment and anyone knew there was no one but Draco that could get him to say more against his will or better judgement.
Lifting her Head from her mate's shoulder, Hermione looked at her two best friends, and immediately they knew, it was just hard for them not to, she had been turned, and now she was Draco's for eternity. They could tell something was wrong but Ron couldn't help thinking once all the doom and gloom was over, he and harry would have to sit Draco down for a long talk and then a good beating/interogation/threatening to ensure once they weren't around to keep him in line, their girl would be taken care of. With a nod of approval Hermione laid her head back under Draco's chin, they all knew he loved her, but still you had to keep a Malfoy in line. They felt Draco's laughter in their minds at their thoughts, and noticed the despondency that the laughter was tinged with, there must be something big going on if Draco couldn't even make a snide remark at their thoughts or even laugh arrogantly in their minds.
Once the Italian walked into the room, he was quickly sitting behind his girl and drawing her in to his chest. "So what's going on here?" Harry asked finally breaking the heavy silence as he and Luna joined Blaise and Twilight on the rug and Ron and Pansy took the other armchair in the room.
Dumbledore let out a heavy lamented breath as he began to relate everything up to that point, "The Grangers were attacked last night, and then somehow brought onto campus to be placed on Draco and Hermione's doorstep. Hermione saved her mother, but had to let her father go. Hermione has been turned by Draco and claimed, as many vampires that can have any claims to magic have gifts. The gift has been revealed to be a very rare gift that runs through only one family line. I must admit to the knowledge that Hermione is a part of the family, but hadn't seem much proof of the gift until now. It is the Gift of the Ether, this gift is the ability to use any magic at any time as long as its called for through thought or mind in faith and the control of life and death. That is how Hermione saved her mother, she ventured into the void before her mother's life completely waned and brought her back, she tried to bring her father back but it was his time. That is an accurate summary of events, any details I have not covered will have to be volunteered by Mrs. or Mr. Malfoy themselves." Harry was dumbfounded by the revelation of what had transpired since they had been there just a couple of hours ago.
Pansy had remained calm, so used to the actions of the Dark side, "Who killed them?"
Draco's eyes were murderous when he looked up to her, "Bellatrix and Dolohov." His own aunt, he had been cherished by said aunt up until he had failed at his first mission, the woman had been the one to end her own sister's life, there was no helping the woman, she was too far gone. Dolohov, could just go to hell.
Harry's eyes narrowed at the mention of Lestrange, "Bellatrix has killed too many we care about, she will die, even if I have to kill her myself." Sirius would not have died and not be avenged, he knew Remus was suffering being the only Marauder left and the man was on verge of hunting down the Right hand of Voldemort on a night of the full moon. "Has Moody and the rest of the Order been alerted to this new development?" Harry was working on all brain cells trying to not think of what could have happened if there had truly been Death Eaters in the castle. "We have to find out how they got in."
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Blaise finally settled into a green armchair of his House common room, Twilight was talking to Pansy by the stairs to the girls' dormitories. The day had gone pretty much down hill after their little meeting in the Head Suite. Blaise had only needed one look at Draco to know the boy wasn't going to let Hermione out of his sight for awhile, unless she was at Grimmauld, and even then there had to be some trustworthy Order members around her. Hermione had looked a mess, and he knew the girl had coping system that would bring her out of it, and that she didn't need all of them there to disturb her while she took solace in Draco's arms. There was so much he wanted to say to her, so much he wasn't allowed to admit to or reveal at this time, but he would, he wouldn't let himself die without her knowing.
Shadows hung in their future, Twilight's visions were things that were happening, had happened, or possible futures. No possible future was clear for her, and it was worrying her to no end, she knew that in the far future Voldemort would come down, but she couldn't see any possible sequence of events that would lead to it. It scared her, she knew sometimes that meant she would die, her gift didn't not allow her to see her own death. Blaise's only hope is since she is an immortal, that the difficulty to kill them would keep he in his life that much longer. He knew he would eventually have to make the choice whether or not he would become an immortal himself, but he wanted to do it when he could promise her no secrets. Those olive eyes turned to rest on him and the warmth in his chest grew, it was odd feeling for one who had never allowed emotions to come to the surface. "Blaise, let's go sit out by the lake."
He knew she had just told Pansy the best way to sneak into the Gryffindor house to visit Harry, who seemed to take another fatalistic turn, the boy was a true martyr. Today he would indulge her, Twilight had had a rough night, when she had jumped into his bed crying he knew by the milky chartreuse of her eyes it was another vision. It had been something he had become used to, ever since that first day he met her and her milky eyes had shifted to a beautiful emerald and she had announced she had been waiting for him. It was automatic, that feel of her belonging with him, and when she announced they must go to Number 12 Grimmauld Place, he had been tempted to tell her such a place did not exist. Yet, he had walked into the diner looking for something and it seemed he had found it and he wasn't about to lose it. So there they had arrived, her explaining how they had to join the Order of the Phoenix, that the Light side is where they needed to be during the war. She had seen it, and when they arrived at said doorstep, Draco Malfoy opened the door for them and to say the least everyone didn't seem that surprised. Dumbledore had that twinkle and had welcomed them wholeheartedly as Twilight had run up the stairs talking about where their room was and a million other things.
Life never ceased to be adventurous with her. He loved every second of it.
Walking up to the foyer and then down the front steps they barely missed being flattened by a group of second years. It was at times like that Twilight's gift could be truly the most useful. "Do you ever think we'll ever be like Draco and Hermione?" he could see the sadness practically radiating off of her, and guilt ran through him like the nile ran through Africa. He wanted to be able to tell her, that today he would be turned for her, that he take claim of her. That meant admitting to her all of him, telling her things he couldn't even admit to himself or those who needed to hear them.
Promises, that was all he could offer her. "I promise, that one day we will be like them, one day I will be free to be with you in eternity." Out of the corner of his eye he saw someone he never wanted to se again, he knew that this would happen one day, but why when Twi was with him.
"Who are you trying to protect, Blaise?"
Amata Mercy
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